Live it!

My neice

... Baby Adah. Gorgeous. Red Hair. Fair Skin. Can I just tell you how fun it is to have a neice. I am finally an Aunt and I just love this little girl already. I hope we will get lots of chances to love and spoil on her. She is so precious... you did good, Aaron and Sarah!

I went over and took a few photos of her this morning. I won't take it personally (wink, wink) that she did not like my camera and wasn't in the mood. I did manage some. I am going to go back next week hopefully and get the close ups of feet and hands and all those bitty things that grow way too fast. Until then Sarah, here are some that turned out. I definetly need a black sheet or backdrop so I will get one of those before I return.

She is perfectly lovely. I think this one is my fav of the bunch:

Mommy and Dad, click here to see her album: ADAH

Chloe...

I love this photo... got it today. Hey, she is actually engaging with my camera, go figure?! Maybe she's finally given into the inevitable. She is lovely. I love her so much. She refuses to keep her hair up and pretty... twirls it til it knots... and still - she is lovely!

Soccer season starts

Keaton has 'graduated' to the older team.  He plays 2 nights a week (ack!) and is loving it so far. His first official game was last night and he did okay, needs to concentrate more on the game ... when he wasn't chasing after the ball he was doing somersaults, headstands and donkey kicks in the middle of the field (ha). He is super enthusiastic so I think with Daddy's help this could be a great sport for him again this year. I love watching him. I can tell he likes playing with the kids and participating in a sport makes him feel like a big boy. I can't believe how much smaller he is than the rest of the kids, but that is ok... he is as fast as lightening... and super cute and sporty lookin' too!

He loves...

Today I was trying to get a natural smile from Keaton as I took his photo. I was getting all 'cheese' if ya know what I mean. So I asked him a question, "Keaton, tell me what you love most in the world". He gave me this smile, said "My four-wheeler and my sister Chloe, I love them so much!"... and I snapped the photo. Aww.

Long weekend

... it was blissful and went by way to fast. For the first time in forever, we didn't go away or host a party on this long weekend (Victoria Day here in Canada). We are not putting the trailer at the beach this year and although I'm kinda sad and will miss that... I know we need to take this summer to do some TLC around the house. We have so much we want to do - so little time to do it. With 2 young kids, even when we are all home... it isn't like you can just get to work. The minute you start, someone runs into the neighbours yard or someone needs a potty break or someone wants to play with the water hose. LOL.

Luckily the kids did entertain eachother for a good hour or two while we gardened and laid down a huge amount of mulch.

Keaton loves his sis enough that he has bestowed her the honour of driving the Jeep. It is hers now, apparently... he says he is too big for it now and she needs her own "vehicle".

Hey Dad...

Time to seed the back yard.. the kids found a muddy spot again ;)

Smooch!

Yes, they had fun. Yes, they are now bathed and clean. No, i didn't give them permission... but once it was too late to stop them - i did go and get my camera ;)

Going to a crop...

It has literally been YEARS since I attended a crop where I scrapbooked with other women. I think it was 2 years ago maybe. But when I first started scrapbooking, I attended many and most of them were all-night crops at a store since it was 2 hour drive away... i would get to the store at around 7pm and  you basically stay up all night scrapbooking (and mostly talking for me).

Anyhow, I don't have it in me to do that much anymore... if i pull a late nighter... it is nice to be able to do it in barefeet and jammies, ya know.

But... tomorrow night I'm going "cropping"... and I'm kinda looking forward to it. A girl that lives up  the road from me invited me to go. I can't imagine packing up for it (I'm the kind of scrapper that needs ever piece of paper and every embellishment within reach to create a page) but I'm going to try. I guess I will have to print some photos since I print my photos on my Epson as I go... pre-planning - what a concept.

Anyhow, we are driving up to Whitby to a store called "Family Preserves"... it was the first store I ever entered when I started out in 2001... and the only store I've ever 'cropped' at. Looking forward to a night out and maybe meeting some new people. Doubt very very very much I will get much accomplished, but I shall try :)

Class photos

hi all - i promised while teaching at the Scrap Etc event in Alabama that i would post the inspiration cards we did when i returned home (for anyone that didn't get a chance to finish them during class). so... as promised although rather late (sorry, life got busy) here are some snapshots of the 4 "Designing with" inspiration cards we did.

DW Greetings - inspiration pulled from several greeting cards. ie: butterfly inspired by a Marilyn Healey project. The top blue paper flips up to reveal hidden journaling with a button closure.

DW Type - this book should be shipping soon... and it is awesome. largest DW book to date, just so ya know ;) We used a ribbon title technique - it was fun! Inspired by a Cathy Blackstone project.

Freestyle - now this is a cool book. talk about freeing and funky. Jenn Bertsch did this card and the students had a lot of fun with it, including bubble wrap stamping, funky button shapes & a cool photo & water technique.

DW Paper - who doesn't love paper? we just did some easy techniques with paper to add dimension to your projects. Paper fringe, sanding, inking & a fun paper loop flower.

It was a busy class. I loved meeting everyone. Thanks & hope this helps those that are trying to finish up their projects.  Have fun!

Last day...

We have hit the $10,000 mark. Unbelievable. Everyone has been so generous. Thanks to everyone... great cause. If you haven't already, and want to... go to here for information on entering a huge raffle for layouts & prize packs from a ton of girls in the scrapbooking world. Today is the last day to enter and donate to a worthy cause. Thanks everyone for the support you've put out there. You are amazing!

National Scrapbook Day

For those that don't know it... my hobby is SCRAPBOOKING! It has been what I busy my 'spare time' with since Keaton was 2 or 3 months old. It has made me more artistic, it has made me a better photographer, it has made me more reflective and appreciative... and it has memorialized more memories and thoughts about my children and my life than i would ever be able to remember in another few years time. Chloe sat down with some of my albums last week and had such a blast looking at photos and events from the past years. I am happy I found this hobby. It gives me something 'that is mine' to do. I do it for me more than for anything else... my creative outlet.

Today is National Scrapbook Day and if you feel so inclined, we are celebrating at 2peas with prizes, make & takes, Designer gallery and more. So, if you scrapbook or if you want to see what it is all about... this might be a good place to start :)